


Full of Happy Sounds

by lizook12



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic, Holidays, Post Iron Man 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-21
Updated: 2013-05-21
Packaged: 2017-12-12 14:04:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/812406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizook12/pseuds/lizook12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She continues weaving the string of lights through the tree, warmth washing over her as he sidles up next to her once more, supplies in hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Full of Happy Sounds

It’s an overwhelming time of year for most people, but even more so for them. Too many anniversaries.  
    

Her almost dying.  
    

That pesky Extremis and all the work it took to get her better.  
    

His operation.  
    

It’s all crammed into this tiny space of _the holidays_.  
   

They’d spent the break away—in other countries or with one of their friends—for the past few years, but he’d insisted on staying home this year. Reclaim some normalcy.  
    

(She’d laughed so hard she’d almost fallen off the bed, but ultimately agreed.   
    

It would be a nice change.)  
    

They’ve kept things low key, some wreaths here and there, a garland across the coffee bar, a small tree in the corner of the living room.  
    

It’s already Christmas Eve though and they’re just finishing decorating the tree. She wishes she could blame him and some megalomaniacal super villain for making it so last minute, but she’s been swimming in meetings and paperwork for weeks.  
    

Still, there’s something nice about doing it now, knowing she can just fall onto the couch next to him and watch the lights flicker against the inky holiday sky until three a.m. if she wants.  
    

Grabbing another strand of lights, she plugs them into the first and begins nesting them in the branches. His hip bumps her as he reaches up, fighting to right the star on top. It balances for a moment before toppling off, clinking against the floor and landing on the other side of the tree skirt.  
    

He curses, lifts an eyebrow at her, humming as he ducks down to retrieve it. _Winter Wonderland_ grows louder as he scoots out from under the tree and she grins.  
    

He’s already come up with some elaborate solution.  
    

Hopefully, it won’t involve welding or an encrypted launch program this time.  
    

She continues weaving the string of lights through the tree, warmth washing over her as he sidles up next to her once more, supplies in hand. She’s glad they’ve found their footing with this as easily as they seem to with everything else. That he hasn’t spiraled out like she feared he might.  
    

Sure, they’re in a completely new home, but it’s the first they haven’t been away—removed—since _that_ year.  
    

“Ok, you’re thinking way too hard to be on vacation.” He nudges her shoulder, steals a kiss, and continues fixing the star. “I mean, we’re not solving Israel-Palestine conflict here.”  
    

“Saving that for next year?”  
     

“I was thinking more like four years; it’s a much more involved timeline.” He smirks, a light in his eyes saying he’s not entirely joking and it thrills her.  
     

Say whatever the hell else you wanted to about Tony Stark, he was a good man.  
    

The best.  
    

Then again, she might be a little biased.  
    

He was going to love his gift though. It had practically been burning a hole in her pocket since she’d discovered there was going to be an intimate, tiny Rolling Stones concert in San Francisco the following April. She’d found two tickets without him even realizing they were touring, smuggled them into the house, and hidden them in the bottom drawer of her nightstand.  
    

Really though, what else did you get the man who had everything and, if he didn’t, he’d just find a way to make it.  
    

Tucking the end of the lights into the tree, she reaches for the package of ornament hangers and stumbles. Without hesitation, his hand cups her elbow, steadying her.  
    

Their eyes meet in the soft glow of the tree and he pulls her close, swaying slowly as he starts humming once more. She laughs, mouths the words along to the song as he spins her out and brings her back.  
    

Her fingers splay over the nape of his neck, tap out a beat in sync with the rhythm of their movements and her breath catches as all movement stops and he covers her mouth in a mind numbing, bone melting kiss.  
     

“Alright, I can’t wait anymore.” Reaching behind him, he snatches a package off the back of the couch. “I was going to put it under the tree before we went to bed, but... Just open it now...”  
    

“What?” She smooths his shirt, smiles at the way he tenses beneath her touch. “Shouldn’t I wait? You’re supposed to open the presents on Christmas _day_.”  
    

“Since when am I traditional?”  
  

“I think there was one time back in ’03, but that’s it.”  
    

He grins, levels her with a look at that only makes her want to see how much further she can drag it out.  
    

She lasts a minute, two if he’s being generous.  
    

Then she’s tearing the paper off, chunks of it falling at their feet as she uncovers her gift.  
    

Her body turns into his, her eyes closing and opening a few times as if not really believing it. It’s the tiny noise in the back of her throat, that one she makes sometimes when her hands are fisted in his hair and they’re pressed as close as possible, that gives away how much she really likes it.  
    

“I... How’d you...” She looks up at him and then back to the worn cover again. A first edition of _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_. She’d only mentioned it once, strolling through Oxford during their day trip from London, at the beginning of the year.  
    

And he’d remembered.  
     

Found a fucking first edition.  
    

She flips through the pages slowly, inhales the musty, wonderful book smell, and presses a kiss to his jaw.  
    

“It’s perfect.” Carefully, she places it under the tree and then steps back, leaning against him. “You’re still not getting your gift until tomorrow though.”  
    

“Fine, I’ll just have to unwrap something else then.” He lets his gaze drift over her before picking an ornament off the pile and handing it to her.  
    

“I think...” She moves forward again, searching for somewhere to hang it.  ”That can be arranged.”  
    

“Mmm...” He places a hook on a branch, stepping close behind her. “Merry Christmas to us both.”


End file.
